My Sister is Going to Kill Me

MY SISTER IS GOING TO KILL ME by Nina Simon (Mother-Daughter Murder Night) is a closed room mystery of sorts. Two very different sisters, a rule-follower and State Department employee named Liv and an impulsive elementary school art teacher named Mandy, are setting off on their annual sister trip. This year they are rafting on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. It turns out their fellow adventures are all associated with a wellness company called Babette Botanique. The CEO misses the kickoff of the trip and disagreements amongst the leadership become apparent, especially when threats start appearing. Soon, there is a dead body with Liv, Mandy, and their companions in growing danger, not just from the challenging physical environment, but also from an increasingly daring killer amongst them. Honestly, it took me a little while to get over being annoyed by both sisters, but I soon found myself coming to care for them, much as they begrudgingly began to acknowledge their complementary skills and affection for each other. The mystery is suspenseful and full of details in a fabulous setting.

The Westerners and The Gunfighters

As we look this year to America’s 250th anniversary, here are a couple of lengthy and ambitious non-fiction texts worth exploring. 

THE WESTERNERS by Megan Kate Nelson is subtitled “Mythmaking and Belonging on the American Frontier.” Nelson, whose The Three-Cornered War was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, chooses to profile seven individuals who represent the diversity -- Indigenous peoples, Black Americans, Mexican Americans, and Canadian and Asian immigrants -- which is often ignored or forgotten but was present out West during the 1800s. She weaves together and overlaps stories featuring a biracial fur trader; the richest woman in Santa Fe; and Sacajewa, plus others like Little Wolf (a Northern Cheyenne chief); a soldier and gold miner; and female immigrants who remained resilient in the face of prejudice. Kirkus says that this very long title (464 pages) “sometimes plods,” but provides “a useful survey of the ‘messy, complicated lives of the real people who built the West.’” Booklist called it “a uniquely compelling look at the dynamism and conflict that defined the West.” THE WESTERNERS received a starred review from Publishers Weekly for its “richly layered portrait of the 19th-century frontier.” Nelson’s Epilogue section reprises how white Americans distorted facts and created myths in order to “fit a narrative that was compelling to them.” She concludes by stating, “If we do not acknowledge this expansive history of the West as a pivotal part of the nation's past, this erasure will continue the work of the frontier myth and usher us into an unjust future.”

THE GUNFIGHTERS by Brian Burrough is another thoroughly researched and well-written text. In contrast to Nelson, Burrough focused on the violence associated with white male dominance and some of the more memorable characters (many familiar names) from the nineteenth century. I read this as part of a Texas book group, and it helped me to better understand some of the cultural underpinnings for Texans. For example, there is an apparently locally well-known song about Sam Bass, but even Burrough acknowledges that “perhaps the gunfighter legend is dimming.” He hypothesized that “A gunfighter's fame endures, in almost every case, in direct proportion to his engagement with the written word, because he either talked to a journalist or two, as Hickok did; wrote an autobiography, John Wesley Hardin’s route; fired off letters to governors and newspapers a la Jesse James and Billy the Kid; or became involved in a shootout so spectacular it drew national attention … Wyatt Earp” Beverly Gage (This Land is Your Land) says Burrough “tells his story as only a loving -- but conflicted -- son of Texas could.” Several maps, numerous footnotes, references, and an index are included.

The Last Man by Thomas Goodman

Selected this month for our local book group, THE LAST MAN by Thomas Goodman has won the 2024 Will Rogers Medallion Award and the 2024 Western Writers of America Spur Award. While fictional, this is based on real events surrounding the Santa Claus Bank Robbery of 1927 in Cisco, Texas. As the publisher says, “One bandit dies in the getaway. One is executed in the electric chair. One swings from a rope in a mob lynching. The last man finds a life he always hoped for … if only he can keep it.” This is a fascinating look at attitudes towards crime and prisoners in the 1920s, 30s and 40s. In fact, during the 1920s, “an average of four banks were hit each day in Texas.” That resulted in massive awards ($5000 which is $85,000 today) for dead bank robbers and “not a penny” for the capture of a live one. And when the attempted robbery goes violently wrong, with the death of lawmen and kidnapping, emotions run high. Library Journal says, "A captivating and creatively told true-crime novel, perfect for patrons who enjoy stories where truth is stranger than fiction." I especially liked Goodman’s reflection on the individuals and factors that impact our life and on second chances. He writes about the role of our fathers (or father figures) and about how we can each be there for someone else, concluding “All their joys and sorrows were precious scenes woven together in a tapestry far larger than any one solitary life.”

Tough Luck by Sandra Dallas

TOUGH LUCK by Sandra Dallas (Little Souls) is historical fiction set in the West with a strong female protagonist. Dallas has been writing excellent fiction with similar themes since 1990 - look especially for The Persian Pickle Club, Alice’s Tulips, or The Diary of Mattie Spencer. Her latest takes place in 1863 and features Haidie Richards, a teenager girl who has promised to take care of her younger brother, called Boots. Their mother has died recently, and they set out from the middle of the country towards Denver in order to find their father who left in search of gold. Along the way, they team up with a variety of characters: a freighter named Jake, former orphanage resident Teresa, two tough spinster sisters, and a card shark named Corny. Haidie dresses and passes as a boy in this adventuresome tale which offers humorous observations and homespun wisdom such as when dealing with animals on the wagon train: “it is all right to swear at them, because they don't understand it and it helps your soul. But you’ll get more cooperation with kindness than meanness. I believe that's a lesson for life, with mules and with folks both.” TOUGH LUCK received a starred review from Library Journal which described the novel as being “full of humor, heart, and hope.” 

The Sweet Blue Distance by Sara Donati

THE SWEET BLUE DISTANCE by Sara Donati is a work of historical fiction set in 1857 which describes the many adventures and resourcefulness of Carrie Ballentyne, a young nurse and midwife. First, there is the sometimes harrowing travel – via train, riverboat, stage, and horseback – from New York State to Sante Fe where she has accepted a position with a Dr. Markham. Both along the way and once in Sante Fe, this young woman finds her beliefs tested as she faces hypocrisy and bigotry (against women and people of different races or classes). The book is quite long and Donati stresses this cultural bias to the point where her modern perspective almost overrides the historical one. However, the story’s action (many births and medical emergencies), elements of mystery, and a romantic subplot will likely keep readers engaged. With so much involved, the author provides a detailed list of the cast of characters and their families, a Spanish-English glossary, and a robust bibliography. Carrie proves herself to be very resilient, mirroring her own mother’s advice: “You are the daughter of strong women and equal to whatever challenges you meet. Missteps are inevitable, but you will find your way.”  

The Madstone by Elizabeth Crook

THE MADSTONE by Elizabeth Crook is very aptly described by the publisher as “a work that echoes Lonesome Dove and News of the World.” Taking place a few years after the Civil War, it is a Western adventure featuring Ben Shreve, a young carpenter with a good heart. He gets hired to help a traveling stranger, Dickie, reconnect with the stagecoach in Texas Hill Country near Comfort, Texas, on the way to a boat for New Orleans. Along they way, these two run into robbers, murderers, and a young pregnant woman, Nell Banes, with her four-year-old son, Tot. Crook recounts the story through Ben’s eyes and his homespun reflections: “it's the oddest thing in the world, Tot, the friends you make in a lifetime.” Readers will be enthralled by the adventures – full of twists and turns including a rabid coyote and a poisonous snake, plus a touch of romance. THE MADSTONE received a starred review from Kirkus (“an entertaining, well-paced yarn”). Be sure to add it to your reading list.

And enjoy Ben’s quoting and retelling of stories about Benjamin Franklin “[who] said a person who thinks hisself in possession of all truths, and believes those who differ are far in the wrong, compares to a man walking in foggy weather. Those at some distance ahead on the road appear to him wrapped in the fog, and those behind him, wrapped in the fog as well, and those in the fields either side, all wrapped in the fog. Yet nearby and about him, things appear clear, despite he is just as much in the fog as any of them.” Enjoy!

The Last Ride of the Pony Express by Will Grant

THE LAST RIDE OF THE PONY EXPRESS by Will Grant is subtitled “My 2,000-mile Horseback Journey into the Old West” and it offers fascinating facts while providing quite a travelogue on horseback between St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, California. Grant is accompanied by two horses, Chicken Fry (love that name!) and Badger on a series of adventures that trace the route of the Pony Express (see map). Readers will be astounded to learn that the Pony Express was in operation for only about 18 months, from April 1860 to October 1861, completing no more than 150 round trips. Introducing readers to hosts such as the head of the National Pony Express Association, locales involving river crossings, and origins of words like mustang, Grant weaves in numerous tidbits and reflections on how the West has changed, even recently. He notes, for example, that “between 1970 and 2020, the number of dairy farms in the US fell from 648,000 to 32,000.” Musings on the impact of the Western frontier on the national psyche and the “fabling” inspired by the short-lived Pony Express balance descriptions of potential danger and also glimpses of humor. Grant is a former cowboy and horse trainer who began a journalism career in 2008 with many of his stories involving horses, including exploits in Mongolia, Arizona, and Kyrgyzstan. I am looking forward to more adventures from him. Both informative and entertaining, THE LAST RIDE OF THE PONY EXPRESS received a starred review from Booklist. 

Where Coyotes Howl by Sandra Dallas

WHERE COYOTES HOWL by Sandra Dallas is a new work of historical fiction set in Wallace, Wyoming during the early twentieth century. Main characters are Ellen Webster, the women whom she befriends, and a romantic interest, Charlie Bacon, who is a cowboy. Dallas refers frequently to the title and its poignancy as a reference to the loneliness and dangers in such a desolate area. Ellen goes to Wallace for a one year adventure as a school teacher; she falls in love and stays longer, but still struggles with the demanding environment, particularly for women. Dallas emphasizes how Ellen's friends (varied in age and background) experience prejudice, spousal abuse, and the devastating death of young children. As in many of Dallas’ other novels, the women draw strength from each other which lessens their pain while allowing readers to more readily appreciate that support and concern. WHERE COYOTES HOWL received a starred review from Booklist. Definitely have a look at some of Dallas’ earlier works, too, including The Diary of Mattie Spenser (a personal favorite of the author), The Persian Pickle Club, and more recently, Little Souls. Plus, numerous historical fiction novels have an emphasis on settling a frontier and/or overcoming hardships, including titles like Homestead by Melinda Moustakis, Christy by Catherine Marshall, and News of the World by the Paulette Jiles.

Light Changes Everything by Nancy E. Turner

For me, a favorite author of historical fiction is Nancy E. Turner (These is My Words, Sarah’s Quilt) and I certainly enjoyed her newest which is titled LIGHT CHANGES EVERYTHING. Here, she again shares stories of the Prine family, this time primarily about Mary Pearl (Sarah’s niece) who plans to leave the Arizona Territory to attend Wheaton College in Illinois. It is 1907 and when Mary Pearl and her horse arrive at college, there is some consternation, but perhaps not as much as the conflict and concern caused by Mary Pearl leaving behind a rich beau ("People were more tangled up about getting hitched and swooning over some lover or other than they were about the lack of rain or the cost of a new saddle"). Although occurring over a century ago, this story certainly has parallels to the choices faced by young women today. Thinking "was this all growing up was, feeling more and more lost and unconnected," Mary Pearl struggles with making friends, finding herself, dealing with tragedy and staying loyal to family. Recommended for fans of frontier novels and historical fiction.